David Cooper

Let's talk all things patience here with psychology professor at Baylor University, Dr. Sarah Schnitker.

Sarah, welcome in.

Thank you for patiently waiting through the commercial break.

Look, most people treat patience like something simple, like, oh, just waiting nicely.

Is it a skill?

Is it something we have to work on?

Do we have to be active with being patient?

Now, what does being patient really mean?

Does it just mean I'm in the doctor's office and after five minutes, I don't go to the receptionist and lose my mind?

Like, what does it mean on a deep level to wait for something?

Patience to me seems a little boring, and correct me if I'm wrong, but you've said patience exists in this extreme between recklessness and passivity.

What does that mean?

That sounds pretty dramatic.

When we talk about goals, this is where I think, and I hope you'll agree with me, patience takes courage.

Because suppose you're pursuing a goal, like you want a promotion at work.

You talk to your boss at promotion review season, and they tell you you're not quite there yet.

You got to keep working on these skills.

Maybe in six months, we'll revisit it.

What do you do?

Do you just rage quit on the spot?